Secret #5 | Telling people what to do, vs supporting them to think for themselves

Only in recent years has Leadership been studied in such a way that some light has been shed on the subject. In studies there seems to be two conflicting styles of leadership - “Transformational” vs “Transactional”.

At the end of the day the best organisations are good at both calling the shot when they need to, however spend most of their time engaging people’s higher sense of self in getting their shoulder to the grindstone and encouraging them to use their initiative to support a higher cause.

The principle may sound idealistic, however I assure you it is not. The idea of soft/transformational leadership where the employees get to create as they go along is not just for the Google innovators of the world. I have personally been witness to one particular manufacturing firm where the floor is concrete and their aren’t any cushy office windows - and the blue collar workers innovate, think for themselves and deliver on company promises producing exemplary examples of purpose built furniture to high end hotels.